The rufous-capped spinetail is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.
Region
Atlantic Forest of eastern South America
Typical Environment
Occurs in the Atlantic Forest from eastern and southeastern Brazil into eastern Paraguay and far northeastern Argentina (Misiones). It favors humid evergreen and semideciduous forests, forest edges, second growth, and bamboo thickets. Most activity is in the lower to mid understory, where it remains close to dense cover. It tolerates some habitat fragmentation but declines where understory is removed.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1600 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This skulking ovenbird builds a bulky stick nest with a side entrance, often tucked into dense shrubs or vine tangles. It frequently keeps its long, graduated tail cocked and slightly fanned as it forages low in the understory. The species readily uses bamboo thickets and edge habitats, which can help it persist in moderately disturbed forests.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats through dense understory
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, maintaining small territories year-round. Pairs build bulky stick nests with side entrances placed low to mid-height in dense vegetation. Often joins mixed-species flocks while foraging but retreats quickly into cover when disturbed.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A rapid, dry rattle or accelerating series of sharp notes delivered from cover. Calls include thin chips and scolding chatters, often given while the bird flicks its tail.
Plumage
Compact spinetail with a warm rufous crown and wings, olive-brown back, and long, graduated tail with stiffened feather tips. Face grayish with a pale throat and buffy to gray underparts, sometimes lightly washed olive on the flanks. Tail appears spiky and is often held cocked.
Diet
Primarily small arthropods such as insects, spiders, and their larvae, gleaned from leaves, stems, and vine tangles. It probes leaf litter and dead foliage and occasionally takes prey from bamboo culms. Very rarely, it may consume tiny seeds or berries when insect prey is scarce.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in dense understory of humid forest, secondary growth, edges, and bamboo stands. Foraging occurs from near ground level up to the lower midstory, typically within dense cover.
